The present invention relates generally to the art of hand tools. More particularly, the present invention relates to a ratchet wrench which operates without the use of a pawl.
Many types of ratchet wrenches have been provided over the years. As is well known to those in the art, the ratchet mechanism permits the wrench to transmit torque in one rotational direction but allows free movement in the other rotational direction. As a result, a user is able to operate the wrench efficiently without removing the wrench from the nut or other driven component each time it is to be torqued. In some cases, ratchet heads may be mounted at both ends of the wrench. In other cases, a ratchet head will be mounted at one end of the wrench handle with an open box head provided at the other end.
Generally speaking, ratchet wrenches utilize a pawl having teeth that engage a rotatable ratchet wheel. The ratchet wheel is retained within an opening located in the head of the wrench. The ratchet wheel may define a configured opening to directly engage a nut or to receive a particular insert tool. In other cases, the ratchet wheel may carry a tang for use with a variety of different sized sockets.
Ratchet wrenches that function without the use of pawls are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,391 to Chaconas, incorporated herein by reference, discloses such a wrench. While many existing pawl-less wrenches have worked generally well, there exists room in the art for additional novel constructions.